re: Arkansas Basketball 2024 (and beyond) Recruiting Thread **TR G DJ Wagner Commits**

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Anybody signing this weekend?

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TOP PERFORMANCE: Will Riley

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It’s hard to top near perfection and that was Riley on Friday night against Team Durant.

Riley went 15 of 19 from the field for 42 points, including an impressive 6 of 8 on three-pointers. Add in four rebounds and five assists, and it was complete domination in the 100-60 victory.

What Riley did particularly well is handle making plays deep into the shot clock and never got rattled with time going down. He knew he was in the “zone” but he still took quality shots.

Currently ranked No. 15 in the Rivals150, he showed what he is capable of when everything is clicking. The Canadian need to add strength at the next level, but he has a sophisticated offensive package.

Recruitment: Riley is looking at Kentucky, Arkansas, Arizona and Alabama, plus the NBL in New Zealand.

In an era of college basketball where it’s hard for freshman to make an immediate impact causing colleges to go after four-year transfers, Riley will be the exception if he elects to play for any of those four programs.

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ARKANSAS, CALIPARI PRIORITIZING MALEEK THOMAS

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Arkansas head coach John Calipari has long been celebrated for his prowess on the recruiting trail, and he was back at it again over the weekend, logging long flights and early mornings in pursuit of talent. One of the most telling moves he made, however, was the late-Friday flight he hopped from an adidas event in Central Texas to Indianapolis in order to be present for five-star guard’s Maleek Thomas’ 8 a.m. Nike EYBL game on Saturday.

Thomas went on record saying he intends to take an official visit to Arkansas in the near future, and it seems as though the Razorbacks staff is setting up for an attempt to seal the deal on the aforementioned trip. Calipari and company will have to hold off programs such as UConn, Baylor, Pitt and Auburn, all of whom were also keeping a close eye on Thomas over the weekend, in order to do so.

Expect Arkansas to be a player until the very end of Thomas’ recruitment, as the Razorbacks seem like a good bet to make the cut on any future list trimmings.

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On3 MVP: Five-Star Plus SF AJ Dybantsa
Many in attendance today are coming around to the thought process that AJ Dybantsa is the best NBA prospect in high school basketball right now. The 6-foot-8 wing has a smooth floor game where he is always on balance and uses excellent footwork to elevate and get clean looks. Dybantsa has a prototypical wing size with length and athleticism. He stands out with the efficiency in how he plays. He uses a great pace and understanding of his kill spots on the floor with length and a high release. Dybatnsa has a solid handle within two to three bounces, and he has a smooth release on his jump shot with range that extends beyond the three-point arc. Dybantsa finished with 25 points while going 7-of-11 from the field.

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2. Five-Star Plus+ Meleek Thomas
Night one, Meleek Thomas provided the fireworks. The 6-foot-3 guard made play after play leading his New Heights Lightning team to a double-overtime win over defending Peach Jam champion Nightrydas. Thomas was pure electricity, using a jet-quick first step to live in the paint where he was able to distribute or finish with touch. He guarded the ball well, using quick hands and a tenacious mentality. Thomas finished with a game-high 25 points. But it was the pressure he put on the opposing team’s defense, and at the point of attack that opened things up for his teammates.

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5. 5-star SG Jasper Johnson
Jasper Johnson has a pretty left-handed jump shot, and that is the genesis of his production. The release is quick, his balance is consistent, and he is confident in his range. Johnson struggled to finish at the rim here and most of his offense came from going left, the jump shot makes him a threat throughout the course of a game. He finished with 30 points, going 8-16 from the field. He closed the game out with confidence in the fourth quarter.

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6. Five-Star Plus+ PF Cameron Boozer
You know what you are going to get from Cameron Boozer, and for three years, he has consistently delivered highly productive performances. Boozer is an excellent positional rebounder. He uses his long arms, huge hands, and listed 6-foot-9 frame to carve out space and hang on to the ball. He is a quick processer his team runs offense through and he can knock down shots from three. There is a toughness factor that he brings each time out and the game typically ends in a win. During night one, Boozer finished with 23 points, going 9-of-15 from the field, with 13 rebounds and six assists.

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7. 4-star SF Will Riley
Will Riley has a unique style to his game. He is a volume scorer, but at 6-foot-9 the totality of his outputs ends in efficiency. While the release point on the jump shot can be inconsistent, he is traditionally a 40 percent-type shooter. He has excellent footwork and balance which makes him tough to guard as he plays off two and uses counters in the paint. In the close Sunday win, Riley made plays. He finished at the rim and he moved the ball for open shots. He ended with an efficient 21 points, going 6-of-13 from the field and 9-10 from the free-throw line. The On3 five-star also added 10 assists in the two-point win.

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Other Nike EYBL Session 2 Standouts

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5-star PG Darius Acuff (2025) The skill set you notice of immediately. Darius Acuff is a confident lead guard. The 5-star PG is capable of getting to his spots off the bounce and he creates space with a quick first step and great balance. He finished the game I watched with 19 points on 20 shots, the efficiency will need to continue coming around, but there is no denying the talent.

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4-star G JJ Andrews (2026) – JJ Andrews plays a physical game. He rebounds well, touches the paint and he makes plays. The jump shot needs to continue improving, but he does not shy away from contact and he gets into the passing lanes as a two-way type wing.

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4. Five-Star Plus+ PF Cam Boozer
For the past three years with the Nightrydas program on Nike’s EYBL Circuit, Cam Boozer has consistently posted 20-point, 10-rebound stat lines. His first game on Saturday was no different as the son of former NBA All-Star Carlos Boozer, posted a 21-point, 10-rebound game. His outputs are fundamental and efficient. He takes what he is given and utilizes excellent feel to be in the right spots. The ball moves with him and he is capable of handling, shooting, and passing in the half or the full court setting. Boozer’s team has won back-to-back Peach Jam championships and currently sits at 8-1, first place in their division.

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5. Five-Star Plus+ SF AJ Dybantsa
AJ Dybantsa is the No. 1 player in the 2025 class, and he has shown why at Nike’s EYBL LIve Period stop this weekend. The 6-foot-8 wing has deep range with the ability to create, knock down shots, and play efficiently. In fact, that might be the biggest growth in Dybantsa’s game. He is a polished bucket-getter. He gets into the mid-post and utilizes his footwork and length to get clean looks. Dybantsa finished with a game-high 26 points in the Oakland Soldiers’ first game today.

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8. 5-star PG Darius Acuff
Darius Acuff is not only playing with a lot of athleticism, he is playing with a lot of confidence. The 6-foot-0 lead guard has a quick first step that routinely gets him into the paint. Acuff carries deep range with the ability to step into a shot from 35 feet. He also has a naturally aesthetic floater that he uses on paint touches. Acuff finished his first game of the day with a game-high 29 points.

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Other EYBL Day 2 Top Performers

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Five-Star Plus+ SG Meleek Thomas (2025) brings an electricity to the floor when he steps on it. He is able to create space for his shot at each level of the half-court and has a quick and decisive handle to get open. He is a quick-twitch, explosive athlete with range to knock down shots. He finished with 18 points and three assists in the game one win today.

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Five-Star Plus+ PF Caleb Wilson (2025) really shined on the defensive end. The 6-foot-9 forward is a good athlete, showcasing his length. Offensively he is still finding his footing after the switch to join Cam Boozer nad the Nightrydas. He finished with 16 points in their early win today. But defensively, he slid his feet well an showed excellent recovering timing. Wilson is rounding out his way in an intriguing manner.

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All spring long, there has been rampant speculation that 2025's top-ranked player AJ Dybantsa would be on the move for his senior season and that speculation was confirmed on Friday morning when it was announced that the 6-foot-8 small forward is moving to Utah Prep.

Previously known as Real Salt Lake, the program changed it's name to Utah Prep last season and put a heavy emphasis on the basketball program. Already home to a handful of nationally ranked players including 2025 point guard JJ Mandequit along with 2026 four-stars Anthony Felesi and Gavin Placide, the addition of a talent like Dybantsa moves the Utah Prep program into a new stratosphere and will immediately make them a target of event directors around the country looking to draw top talent.

Originally a member of the class of 2026, Dybantsa reclassified to 2025 last fall and immediately took over the top spots thanks to his rare combination of size, athleticism and positional skill. This spring he's playing in Nike's EYBL and according to Synergy he's averaging 22.2 points and 4.1 rebounds while playing alongside 2026's No. 2 ranked player and now former high school teammate, Tyran Stokes.

Thus far, Dybantsa has taken official visits to Auburn and USC and he's been identified as a major target for both Arkansas and Kentucky. Dybantsa isn't in any kind of rush to make a decision but discussed those schools and others with 247Sports analyst Travis Branham earlier this month.

Arkansas: "I got an offer about a week ago, not even. Cal reached out, Chin [Coleman] reached out and I got an offer. He said same 'brand, different location.' He said they're going to keep coaching the same way, keep doing things the same way but it's just a different location."

Kentucky: "I am pretty sure they talked to my dad. My dad handles all of the recruitment and I am pretty sure they reached out to him. Kentucky is a powerhouse, I think they will continue to be a powerhouse, continue their top recruiting because that's who they are. I don't know anything about Mark Pope."

Auburn: "Auburn was a good visit. Bruce Pearl is still in contact."

North Carolina:"Heard from him, I got offered towards the beginning of my Prolific season, they stay in contact with my dad. I might take a visit this fall but I will have to set that up with UNC, definitely."

USC: "USC was my first visit but it was with Enfield so now the Arkansas coach took over. I haven't heard from him, I don't know if my dad heard from them."

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AJ DYBANTSA COMES UP CLUTCH FOR SOLDIERS IN BATTLE OF TOP-RANKED PROSPECTS

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Since its inception, the EYBL has become known for not only the depth of talent but the league's ability to produce elite level matchups on a daily basis and that was the case on Friday as the Oakland Soldiers and Arizona Unity tussled on the first floor of the multi-level facility carved out of the old Kemper Arena. The Unity are headlined by 2026's No. 1 player Brandon McCoy while the Soldiers feature not only 2025 No. 1 AJ Dybantsa but the guy McCoy leapt for the top spot in 2026, No. 2 Tyran Stokes.

While the expectation was offensive fireworks, the actual product on the floor was a grind it out, defensive slugfest that came down to the very last second. Literally.

On the day he announced his transfer to Utah Prep for his senior season, the 6-foot-8 Dybantsa was in struggle mode offensively. His jump shot was off and he just seemed out of rhythm. At least until it mattered most. During the game's closing minutes Dybantsa scored 10 of his game-high 19 points and included the scoring microburst was a big-time lob finish from Stokes in transition, three clutch free throws with 19 seconds to go and then three from about 28 feet as the buzzer sounded to secure a 60-57 lead. It's no wonder why Arkansas, Auburn, Kentucky, North Carolina and a host of others are in hot pursuit and he continues to back up his top billing in the rising senior class.

His teammate Stokes didn't have his best night either but did do some nice things. Stokes converted often at the free throw line, had four slick assists and along with Dybantsa teamed to really make McCoy work on the offensive end.

Now let's talk about McCoy. For long stretches of the game the 6-foot-4 point guard looked like the best player on the floor. Even though he was being played quite physically by the bigger Dybantsa and Stokes for long stretches, he still found ways to get paint touches, hit some tough mid-range jumpers, converted at the rim and stuck a clutch three of his own. Most notable was the work he did on the glass. Despite his slender frame, he fought on the interior and grabbed an impressive 12 rebounds to go along with his 15 points.

It wasn't always pretty, but the game and the stars delivered and showed that they can grind things out just as well as they can thrive in a wide-open floor.

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